Desire
by RachelItIs
Summary: He did't know what drove their desire but he'd never questioned it and neither had she. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that they wanted each other. And, they'd have it. / Mature. Venus/Kunzite. Maybe some side characters. Includes cheating as a large theme.
1. Chapter 1

_New story idea. AU. Themes include sex, cheating and sex. Plus a few ideas that are secret and/or only on the drawing board. _

* * *

He let out a breath as he crashed back against the bed, as spent as he always was after a tryst with her. She worked him, tested him, and controlled him. He did the same for her, if the heavy breathing from his left side was any indication. It was always a marathon with the two of them, never a sprint.

He pushed himself from the bed first, sliding on his briefs while moving towards the patio door. He stepped into the cool night and lit a cigarette at the same time, a habit of his she hated but she had no say in. She had no control over him outside of the bed. He turned and leaned against the railing, watching her chest rise and fall quickly, still swimming in the euphoria.

She glanced his way as she finally pushed herself from the bed, blue eye catching gray before she stood and turned away. He watched her move to collect her clothing, her golden hair surrounding her like the aura of a goddess. She was perfect, a thought that never escaped him. She looked back at him one more time before she slipped into his bathroom and shut the door.

The shower started and he took another slow drag of his cigarette, turning to look over the city. She'd be finished and dressed before he was done with his cigarette. She always was.

And she was. He'd just dropped his cigarette butt in the ash tray when he turned to find her standing in the door way, gathering her long hair in a messy bun.

"Hungry?" he breathed, his eyes wondering back over the small, revealing dress that she'd worn that evening. He felt himself smile, the familiar feeling rustling inside of him. He could go with her over and over again.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" she smirked, dropping her hands to her hips.

"I wouldn't dare."

She let out a short laugh and shook her head, "I should get going. He'll be home soon."

"Can't keep the man of the house waiting," he drawled sarcastically and she glared. He smirked in return.

"We didn't use a condom again," she stated off-handedly.

"You're on birth control?"

"Yeah."

"You've been tested?"

"Yeah."

"You use one with him?"

"Yeah."

"And anyone else?"

She glared again.

"Okay," he shrugged. They'd been at this so long now and a condom had only come into the picture when _he_ had.

Her glare intensified. He'd angered her. He always did. What brought them back here, brought her back here, time after time was beyond him. He was sure it'd stop when she fell in love, or said she did, and she did seem more devoted to this guy than any other he'd seen her with during their long friendship. Regardless, it'd taken a matter of months for the novelty to wear off and her to be back. A year later and she still came back. Like clockwork.

"And you?" she asked, her arms crossed.

"Mmm," he hummed. "I'm not on birth control."

"Khaled."

"Minako, of course I do," he pushed off the railing, approaching her quickly and twirling a loose strand of hair around his finger. "Five years and you still don't trust me."

She huffed in response, spinning on her heels and heading to the door, "I should be there before his plane lands."

"Tell Ryo I said hello," he called after her, earning one final glare before she left the apartment.

He gave an airy laugh. He loved to see her angry, tortured. She'd have done the same if the positions were swapped. She had done the same on the one occasion that Khalid had found someone he was mildly interested in dating. That lasted less than a month before he found himself outside her door, his hands beginning to roam before she'd even invited him. He'd had more pity for the poor girl he'd been seeing. It only lasted another two months before he broke it off.

Whatever she felt for this guy, this Ryo, it wasn't enough for her to stop showing up at his doorstep, already trembling with anticipation. And vice versa. She'd never leave Ryo, at least not for him. Not that it mattered. He didn't want her that way. He never had. Feelings, love, none of that had ever mattered between the two of them. He just wanted to feel her squirming underneath him. She wanted to turn him to putty in her hands.

He had since the moment they'd met. The spark had been instant. Not ten minutes after their eyes had met, they were behind the club kissing, grasping, panting until a bouncer walked around back and chased them off, their laughs filling the narrow ally. He continued to want her that way and she him, multiple times a week. Sometimes multiple times a day.

Ryo or not be damned. She was his and she always would be. They both knew that.

They ran in the same group of friends, that's how they'd met. Her best friend had been dating his, the two now married. The rest of the group naturally paired off as well, eventually settling down. They didn't. They wanted to have fun, they wanted to touch, they wanted to sin.

Since they had the same group of friends, he'd met Ryo on many occasions. He was nice man. He had a steady job, which luckily for Khaled called for him to be away for days, occasionally weeks, on end. He provided for her, doted on her, loved her. They probably even had great sex, made love instead of just frantically fucking.

At first, when they first got together and he wasn't sleeping with her as well, Khaled had cared less about the man. She would be back. She was always back. Though, as the weeks stretched into months, he began to doubt himself and her. As he was finally ready to let it go, she showed up at his door. It was the only time that the sex _had_ seemed like a sprint. She was undoing his jeans, pulling up her skirt and jumping on him before he'd even registered who was at the door. They quickly turned it into a marathon, unleashing the energy stored from the last three months.

Now that he had her back in his bed, Ryo had become more of an evil game to him. He gave her looked and made comments that were only veiled just enough to keep the poor man in the dark. He even touched her on occasion, subtly in passing, 'accidently' while reaching, or under the table where than man couldn't see. She always got so angry, so flustered. The sex was always better the next time they met. Ryo never seemed to notice or at least didn't let onto it.

Their friends did. And, their friend's complained, argued, begged them to stop. Especially Khaled. Poor Ryo deserved a break. She should break up with him or they should stop what they were doing. Or, Khaled should at least stop dangling it out in front of Ryo. But Ryo had upped the game, the stakes, the prizes.

Khaled did't know what drove their desire but he'd never questioned it and neither had she. It didn't matter. All that mattered was that they wanted each other. And, they'd have it.


	2. Chapter 2

"We're going out tonight. Minako said to invite you. It's a welcome back thing for Ryo," the voice of Khaled's best friend sounded reluctant to extend the invitation.

"She didn't want to just ask herself?" Khaled questioned, a smirk on his face. She rarely did. There was always a middle man, an escape route. She was careful that his number and name didn't appear on her phone too much or too little. She'd become very experienced at hiding it.

"Even more so," he continued, feigning injury in his voice, "it doesn't sound like you want me to go."

"Usagi and I hate being in the middle of your games," Mamoru responded, the condemnation easily identifiable in his voice. He hardly liked Khaled and Minako's name to be in the same sentence, much less to pass a message from one to the other.

"Don't feel too bad. I'm not going," Khaled responded, glancing down at his watch. He'd made other plans for the evening already and he had no wish to greet Minako's boyfriend.

"Really?" Mamoru questioned, the surprise evident. "Look, I want you to go. You know Usagi and I hardly get away from the house as it is."

He knew. It wasn't so much that him and Usagi didn't leave the house as it was they didn't go out to bars or parties anymore. Though, to be honest, he and Minako were the only ones that regularly did. Having a little bundle of joy in their lives, Usagi and Mamoru went out the least if it wasn't a family friendly environment.

"I just saw you guys and my precious God-Daughter three days ago," Khaled reminded him, glancing at his watch again. If he had any hope of making it home and changing before his plans that night, he'd have to leave the office soon. Which, in turn, meant that he'd have to speed up his rejection of his closest friend's offer.

"But not like this," Mamoru argued. "You normally don't turn an opportunity like this down."

"Hmm," Khaled agreed. "But, I got her last night. It's good to share."

The other side of the phone was silent for a moment; his trick had worked.

"I hate when you talk like that," Mamoru finally sighed. "You're terrible."

"All the more reason for me not to be there," he argued.

Mamoru sighed into the receiver and Khaled pulled the receiver away from his ear. He hated that sound. Khaled didn't respond to the noise though, only waited to see if his friend had anymore arguments as to why he should go. Apparently, he didn't.

"_Fine_," he huffed. "We're going to dinner and then to NV if you change your mind."

"I'll keep that in mind," Khaled responded, non-commitment dripping from his tone.

-x-

"Khaaaaled!" He turned to see the red-haired woman hurrying his way, as done up as ever. If there was one thing Erin didn't know, it was subtlety. He supposed that it was to be expected; she ran one of the highest end bars in the city. She had to look the part, which at least at on nights like tonight involved small dresses and large necklaces.

"It's been too long!" she wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug and kissed his cheek quickly.

"It's been two weeks, Erin," he reminded her. She acted the same way every time he saw her, regardless of how long it had actually been. She acted much like a child would.

She pouted, "Come on, I have a few more faces to see. Stand tall. Look pretty."

He sighed, resigning himself to his short fate. The company Khaled worked for had put a lot of money into the club, under Khaled's careful eye, and so he tried to visit regularly. It always became more of a work outing than anything else. Erin treated every interaction like a business deal; she took after her father.

After an hour, the woman seemed satisfied and led the way to a table, taking a seat before instructing Khaled to get a drink from the bar. He obeyed with a shake of his head. She was also spoiled rotten. As he turned back from the bar, any plans he'd made for the night came to a screeching halt as he caught sight of a very large group of familiar faces.

He turned to head back to his table. It wasn't that he didn't want to see his friends, or her. He did, however, prefer to keep some parts of his life separate.

He didn't get so lucky to get by unnoticed and he instantly cursed his unnatural hair color. He should take to dying it again like he had when he was younger. He'd just reached the table when Mamoru called out his name. He turned with a pleasant smile.

"I thought you didn't want to go out tonight," Mamoru accused as he came closer, the rest of the group close behind.

"I said I was passing on going out with _you_," Khaled corrected, his tone light. He motioned behind him, "I had other plans already."

Mamoru glanced at the woman at the table and smiled warmly, "Sorry to intrude."

Erin smiled, as good natured as ever, "It's no problem. I only wish Khaled had told me he had so many attractive friends. Oh! Zak! You must be how they all got in here, no?"

Khaled sighed and shook his head. The sentence came out rude, not the way Erin was intending, he was sure. However, for a business woman, she had never quite mastered the finesse of language.

"It is," he agreed and moved forward, kissing her cheek as she returned the greeting.

"Anyways, everyone this is Erin. She's the daughter of the owner of the company where Zak and I work. This venue was part of a deal," he waved around the vicinity. "You can introduce yourselves whenever. I thought you guys were going to NV."

"We changed our minds," Mamoru started slowly, the first to take time to answer.

"We thought we'd celebrate a little and it called for a little nicer of a place," Ryo was the one who spoke up next, not a common occurrence in Khaled's mind. However, when he looked over, he instantly saw why. Ryo had his arms around Minako, gently holding out her left hand. Minako looked a strange mix of pained and uncomfortable trying to hide behind excitement.

A grin slid across Khaled's face, "Indeed it would seem. Congratulations."

He felt the relief spread through the group of friends after his statement and for a moment wondered how Ryo couldn't have the slightest clue what was going on between himself and Minako. The group was terrible at hiding anything. Khaled had assumed he'd chalked it up to some kind of past relationship.

Khaled was just about to excuse himself and Erin when she beat him to it. He cursed her mentally, "Why don't you guys have a seat with us. We can pull up a few chairs."

Khaled held in a sigh as the group agreed and sat down between Mamoru and Erin as everyone bustled to find a place to sit or, in the case of Jun and Nic, stand. Khaled barely paid attention to what was going on around him as Erin, naturally, lead the conversation.

"Khaled only comes to visit to make sure I'm keeping this place afloat, though he's known me forever. Very rude," he caught her saying at one point, giggling as the other's laughed at Khaled's expense.

He had known her, basically, forever. Their fathers had started the same entertainment company in America and her father had taken him under his wing when his father died. Just before Khaled graduated from his undergraduate study, her father had come forward with the idea of opening a branch in Japan, his home country. Khaled had been told- or rather it was strongly suggested- that he would go to Japan for his graduate degree and work for the company once it opened. He couldn't particularly complain. He was much higher than he would be at any other company handling finances and relations with different venues.

He'd even met his friends quickly. He'd met Jun in classes who'd introduced him to Nic who eventually brought in Mamoru. Mamoru and him had clicked the easiest, despite being one of the last Khaled had met. It was probably due to their more similar personalities and annoyance at the antics of the other three. Zak, who was much like a younger brother to him, had been last and they'd met once he'd gotten started in the company. Zak kept track of the talent, as he put it, and helped Kunzite set up the shows at different venues. Erin had moved not long after her father had, stating she wanted fun, adventure, anything new. Her father couldn't say no.

Erin he always kept separate, a distance between them and the others. She was part of his past and they were completely his present and preferably future. She'd become a business deal, a relationship that had to be kept but didn't have to mean anything.

"So, when's the wedding planned?" she asked, snapping him from his thoughts. He suddenly remembered why else he kept them separate. She didn't know the dynamics, the fine balance the group played in keeping the peace.

He thought the tension became palpable. Ryo didn't seem to notice.

"At least a year," it was Minako that answered, taking him somewhat by surprise. Her voice had been calm, collected and not hinting at the slightest bit discomfort. She smiled, shining, "We want to take our time planning and with both of our schedules, it'll take some time."

Khaled tried to wait to a decent amount of time to seem as though he wasn't leaving to avoid the conversation. He wasn't sure if he managed when he stood, a look of boredom on his face, and announced that he was going for a cigarette. He didn't care that she would be getting married; it changed nothing for him. She would still be his, just like when she and Ryo had first got together.

He'd been out there long enough to finish one cigarette and then light the second when she appeared. He didn't have to look to see who it was as she stepped right in front of him. He wasn't sure how she'd found him so quickly. He'd stepped around a corner and out of sight.

"Engaged, huh? How'd it feel saying yes with the memories of the night before still fresh," he smirked.

She glared, as usual, "It was the last time."

"Was it?" he asked, taking a slow drag of his cigarette. "If you say so."

She stepped closer, too close for either of them, and pulled the cigarette from his fingers, smashing its end against the wall, "I'm going to get married."

"So the ring indicates," he nodded towards the large diamond on the hand that was holding his cigarette. "You could just not show up."

He took a step closer, looking down on her as she glared as though all this were his fault. She'd come out to him, tracked him down. He'd had no intentions of even seeing her tonight, let alone one on one.

He wasn't sure who moved, as he normally didn't. One hand was just suddenly in her hair, her back against the wall and their lips hungrily attacking one another's. They hadn't even attempted anything in public since their first encounter; it would never allow them the time they needed. However, as his hand traveled up her thigh and under her skirt, that suddenly didn't seem to matter.

He'd just reached his destination, her shuddering again him, when a voice called his name and snapped them both out of their mood. She moved quickly, untangling herself as though he hadn't actually had any grip on her and pushing past him out of sight, calling over her shoulder, "Last time."

He sighed, pulling out another cigarette and sliding down the wall.

"Oh, I got to see something interesting!" Erin's enthusiastic voice came from his side seconds later as she slid down to sit on the dirty ground beside him. "She was quite flushed and right after getting engaged!"

"Erin, don't," he warned, glaring over at her as she smiled coyly.

She pulled the cigarette from his hand, taking a drag herself, and then giggled, "Of course not. No wonder you all looked so uncomfortable tonight. So, is she why I can't have you?"

"You can't have me because you're you," he reminded her, ignoring the rest of what she'd said.

"So mean," she whined. "I suppose your secrets safe with me. I've nothing to gain from telling anyone anyways."

And, he knew she meant that. As long as she had nothing to gain, she could keep any kind of secret.

-x-

He'd left shortly after their encounter. He'd returned to the table for two more rounds and then excused himself, saying he hadn't planned on having a full night anyways. It hadn't been a lie. He never spent more than two or three hours with Erin. And, she was taxing enough on her own.

He'd regretted his actions in the alleyway from the second it had happened. He hadn't been able to get his body to relax no matter what he did or how cold the shower was. He'd barely slept, wondering if he should have taken Erin up on her offer to stay over. Though, he knew that was a road he didn't want to travel down regardless of how horny he might be.

When the knock awoke him no later than six the next morning, he knew who it'd be. How she got away already, he wasn't sure. He didn't particularly care. He never did.

"Last time, huh?" he mocked as she pushed into his apartment, shoving him back against the door as it shut.

"It will be," she promised, dragging his head down so their lips could meet.


	3. Chapter 3

"It's the last time," she told him once again. He'd lost track of how many times he'd heard her say it by this point. It'd been over a year by now. He always gave the same answer.

"Okay."

She pulled her clothes on as he still laid in the bed, watching her every movement. This was a newer development. She never stayed for too long and she had never spent the night, regardless of whether she was single or _he_ was away. Now, though, she was up almost the second they were finished, still panting and walking on shaky legs.

"It's different," she said resolutely, as though she were completely sure this time. "I'm getting married next week."

Khaled rolled his eyes. It had been the same for the last year. _ I'm getting married. I'm getting married in a few months. I'm getting married next month._

He couldn't understand why she didn't just _accept _it. Whenever he'd ask, or tease, she say she loves Ryo. She wants to spend the rest of her life with Ryo. Ryo was the best thing for her.

Khaled never bought it, or much accepted it for that matter. He was sure that he _could_ accept it if he were ever given the chance. But, at this point, he wasn't. Their encounters had even increased. She seemed to show up at his door almost daily now, as though the need for their intimacy grew as the wedding approached.

He'd be lying if he denied feeling the same way. The idea that she was about to bound herself to another, regardless of how trivial he felt marriage was, seemed to spark some kind of primal need in him. He needed to possess her even more so than ever before.

At the same time, the idea of spending any extra time with him seemed almost repugnant to her. Not only did she jump from the bed as soon as her need was satisfied, regardless of how long and how many sexual activities it had taken, she also no longer invited him out. She didn't speak to him when the group was together. She hardly even showed up if she even thought he would be present.

The group had taken this as almost a hard positive. It sucked for their group to be torn apart, but the train wreck of relationship the two had had was finally ending. Khaled neither confirmed nor denied their conclusion.

Khaled laid back, watching as she hurriedly finished dressing and left the apartment without another word.

-x-

Khaled glanced as his clock as the pounding began at the door. It was after 11 PM. He'd been reading, ignoring what the next day. Even more, ignoring that by some miracle, it had been a week since she'd shown up at his doorstep. He felt as though it were somewhat optimistic for him to think it would be her. But, on the other hand, he didn't know who else it would be at this time.

"I'm getting married tomorrow!" she squealed, holding two bottles over her head. "Let's celebrate!"

He glanced up and down the hallway, expecting and irate neighbor to appear and give him a judgmental look. He was sure having a drunk girl show up on his doorstep and announcing her upcoming marriage wouldn't appear appropriate no matter how you looked at it.

He sighed and opened the door wider, allowing her to walk, surprisingly straight, into the apartment. He turned to face her, crossing his arms, "How much have you drank? Your wedding is in, what, 10 hours?"

She laughed, "I haven't actually drank _that_ much. I might be slightly intoxicated. But, I want to celebrate with _you_!"

"Shouldn't you be getting your beauty rest?"

She waved her hand at him as she disappeared into the kitchen and he heard his cabinet open and glasses being removed. She returned moment later with two glasses in hand, bottles under her arms, and winked before moving towards the front room. He sighed again, moving quickly to catch up and grab a glass and bottle before she could cause any kind of disaster in his apartment.

"You were reading this late? How boring!" she teased, tossing the book across the room and plopping down onto the couch and pulling her feet under her.

"Some of us like to relax at night," he sighed, sitting down on the opposite side of the couch.

She stuck her tongue out, "Well, now we're celebrating. To me!"

She moved quickly, clinking her glass against his and then downing the shot of liquid inside. He followed suit. He'd need all he could drink tonight if he was going to survive this kind of torture. She quickly filled their glasses again, this time sipping on her own.

"Are you coming tomorrow?"

"You know I'm not," he answered, throwing back his head and finishing in a quick gulp. She filled his glass again.

"I was hoping you'd change your mind. I'd like for you to be there," she told him, taking another drink of her own and avoiding his gaze.

"How in all things sacred could that sound like a good idea?" he finished another glass.

She followed with her own before refilling both of their glasses, "I know."

As the night wore on, conversation was intermittent. The first bottle dwindled and the second opened, despite Minako beginning to limit her intake. She was sprawled across the couch, her head in his lap and looking up at him, his hands playing with her hair. It was different, a more innocent type of intimacy than the two had ever been in together.

Khaled didn't know what had caused the sudden shift, surely made easier with the copious amounts of alcohol they had both consumed. When was the last time that they'd just talked? Surely, it had been before Ryo had entered the picture. The wedding, it seemed, had changed more ground than either had thought.

"I'm surprised you came," he finally told her. "You seemed to stick by your words this time."

She stared at the ceiling, her eyes glossy and unfocused, "I wanted to. I want to. I love Ryo. But, my body hurts and it becomes so unbearable, I just need to feel you. I get physically sick. That much I thought I could deal with. It would surely pass eventually. Or, at least, I could put it off like I have before. But, then I was staring at the schedule for tomorrow and my ring was flashing in the light and my heart just broke and I don't know why."

He watched her closely and measured his words, "I don't love you."

She looked at him, seemingly unaffected by his words, "I don't love you either. I wasn't saying my heart broke for or because of you. Just that it did. And then I drank and now I'm here and my body's still burning."

His eyes darkened and he dragged her roughly on top of him. He wasn't gentle. It wasn't a word he'd ever used to describe them anyways. But, it was more this time. He wasn't careful. He didn't control himself. He didn't care. Not the first time. Or the second. Or the third that night.


	4. Chapter 4

_The angry eyes beaming into his seemed to have no affect on him. No more than his blood stained sword seemed to bother her. It should, both should. He loved her. At least, something inside Khaled told him that the menacing figure loved the crumpled girl at his feet. Or, at least, he had. He was supposed. And, she loved him back.__But, the silver eyes were almost uncaring and the blue were filled with so much hatred that Khaled felt cold to the bone._

_But, the silver eyes were almost uncaring and the blue were filled with so much hatred that Khaled felt cold to the bone_

_"You," her voice seethed. It was stronger, steadier, than he expected. "You did this."_

_For the first time, Khaled noticed the fires, the bodies, and the destruction that surrounded the two figures. The man had done this? Was this not the man's own home? Khaled wasn't sure why he knew that bit of information either._

_The man didn't seem to care either way._

"_You did __**this**__," now she was referring to herself. Khaled once again had the unexplainable feeling that something was wrong with that. That the man loved her._

_He also felt guilty, as though he himself had done this to the dying woman._

_For all the things that Khaled was feeling, the man who had done all of this, even less so about what he'd done to the woman. Instead, he just raised his sword._

_Khaled wondered if the woman would fight back. She was powerful. She could destroy him. Another unexplainable fact._

_Then, he noticed it. She couldn't fight back. As powerful as her voice was, she could barely hold herself up the small amount that she already was. He'd already somehow bested her._

'_He tricked her, blindsided her! Coward!' the voice was his own, but he didn't know where it had come from or, once again, why he had known it._

_His attention was pulled back to the battle, or execution depending on how you looked at it. She was speaking, her voice hypnotizing. A curse._

"_By home Venus, as Daughter of Aphrodite," he voice carried despite how weak she seemed, even weaker than earlier. Her voice sang. "No matter how many times we are reborn, I will never love you again. But, you, my dear Kunzite, will never feel a love for anyone oth.."_

_She didn't get to finish. He was sure what was spoken was written into stone already, but whatever complete curse she was going for was interrupted as the man, Kunzite, seemed to lose his patience with her. His sword thrust forward and through her stomach. Khaled thought it was over that easily. The man would get away without a scratch, the only damage an incomplete curse. And, how much harm could that be? How could a man like this love anyways?_

_Suddenly, he saw it. A final spark in the woman's eyes. For the same unexplainable reason that he'd known everything else, he knew what was coming next. Golden light, the last of her energy, poured from her body and surrounded the two, growing brighter and brighter until it seemed to implode upon them._

_Khaled had seen pictures and videos of the atomic bombs that were used in the Second World War. This seemed brighter, stronger and somehow more deadly. Yet, at the same time, it seemed more controlled; there would be less peripheral damage._

_When the dust and smoke cleared, he saw that he'd been correct. While the two figures were no longer present, the gouge in the earth extended no more than a yard from where they'd been standing. It had completely annihilated them, but nothing else had been disturbed._

-x-

Khaled awoke with a jerk. His head was pounding and his body hurt, as though it had been him receiving all that damage in his dream. He lay with his eyes closed for several seconds, going over every detail of his dream. He remembered every detail vividly, as though he'd lived it himself. He was also sure that he knew the two figures and though he could picture both in his head, he couldn't describe them and he couldn't place them.

Suddenly, he realized that the pounding wasn't just coming from inside his head. Someone was beating at his door. Loudly, angrily.

"Minako, I know you are in there. Open this door right now, so help me_ gods_."

Khaled's eyes flew open. His room was barely lit, the sun not quite rising yet, and he glanced at his clock. Half past five. They'd barely slept two hours. He looked towards his other side and groaned, only vaguely remembering the details of the night before. She'd never stayed the night at his place. They'd never stayed the night in a bed together period. Last night was not the ideal time to start.

He looked over her again, noting the line of bruises that were already starting to show around her neck. What a time to forget their places.

The pounded started again and the angry voice was louder this time, "If you think I'm angry, Khaled, just wait until I wake up your entire damn floor. And, believe me I will! Open the damn door!"

He pushed himself up and nudged the sleeping body next to him, "You have a visitor."

She sat up instantly in a panic, looking around the familiar setting, "Fuuuuck."

Khaled stood and grabbed some shorts from the floor, "I'll get the floor. You can see what you can do about…"

He trailed off and shook his head as the pounding started again.

"Lord help both of you when I get my hands on…"

He pulled the door open and the raven haired woman stopped mid-sentence. Kunzite grimaced, "Lovely wake up call."

"Don't play games with me," Rei seethed. "Where the fuck is she?"

Khaled jerked his head back, his eyes meeting those of his friend's above the woman's head. Jun looked equal parts exasperated, embarrassed and understanding. His longest friend seemed to be struggling with exactly who to support in this instance. Khaled shook his head and Jun returned the gesture.

Rei seemed to be about to start into Khaled again when Minako appeared, disheveled and somewhat wobbly, in the doorway.

"About damn time," she swung towards her friend. "You do realize you're getting married today. I mean, if that has changed please let me know so I can go back to fucking bed. Everyone's running around for you and you're fooling around with another man."

Minako didn't answer. She had the grace to hang her head and give a small shake in response, a plea for mercy.

Rei didn't seem to have any. She sniffed once, "Are you still drunk? Seriously? You better either start drinking again or shooting coffee straight into your system. You realize…"

She stopped, her eyes narrowing as Minako raised her head again and her hair fell off of her neck.

"Oh, help me, gods!" it seemed to be Rei's call this morning. "_Seriously?_ Are you two… Fucking seriously? Hiding that during the wedding is one thing but my god, Minako, Ryo will now he didn't put them there. Better make it rough immediately after the ceremony. Hell, before the ceremony."

"Rei," Khaled finally interrupted, mostly in hopes of getting her to stop shouting their life stories down the hallways. He immediately realized his mistake as she turned, eyes blazing, back on him.

His hands immediately went up, palms out. He was quickly saved, however, by Minako who seemed to put her shame behind her and brushed past Rei, "Let's just go. We have a lot to do this morning."

Rei's eyes narrowed, but she turned and stomped after her friend. Jun hesitated and began to open his mouth to speak, only braving it when his fiery girlfriend was well out of earshot. Khaled, however, just shook his head and shut the door.

His morning had been long enough.

* * *

Author's Note_: _This is going off the assumption that the final battle was on Earth. This is, obviously, a shorter and faster paced story. So, we only have a couple of planned chapters left! :D


	5. Chapter 5

Khaled had instantly gone back to bed after the ordeal with Rei and Minako. Ordinarily, he'd be up, regardless of how much he'd drank the night before, by six o'clock. It was sleeping in compared to his normal 4 am wake up calls.

However, when the knocks awoke him later, he found himself in a dark room with the curtains drawn and the clock glowing dully with '2:35' across the face. He pressed the palm of his hand to his forehead, somehow still unprepared to fight his way out of bed, willing the person at the door to leave.

"Khalid," the voice called and he groaned. "Come on. Open up the door."

If he knew anything about his best friend, it was that the man in question was not leaving. He was also fairly sure this was not purely a visit for entertainment. Maybe Mamoru was checking on him, making sure he was coping with the marriage of his lover.

Kunzite didn't feel like dealing with either at the moment.

For a second, he thought about rolling over and pulling the pillow over his head; an action he'd always imagined Minako performing in the morning but never himself. Just as he'd about convinced himself that it wasn't completely childish, his phone began to ring on the bedside table. Maybe he could ignore that too…

"Khalid, I hear your phone and I know you're not that light of a sleeper."

"Damn him," Khalid growled throwing off the sheets and stomping, still in his shorts from early that morning, to the door angrily. He ripped it open and snapped, "What do you want?"

"Don't give me that kind of attitude because you're hung over. I'm the one here for answers," Mamoru responded, stepping past his friend. Khalid's attitude had no affect on him, not that he was often on the receiving end. Khalid seemed to have more respect for the closet of his friends.

Khalid didn't respond, just trod after him to the living room and crossed his arms. Waiting.

Mamoru stared at him for a few long moments, as though he though Khalid should know why he was here. Finally, he sighed, "The hell were you thinking?"

"She came here," he responded easily. He had known what it was going to be about after all. Not that he would ever dream of incriminating himself. "Were there fireworks?"

Mamoru glared, "She crying on my living room floor. For fucks sake, I know you could care less about Ryo but what about Minako?"

"Why are you here blaming _me_? Her relationship blew up but she was just as much a part of this as I was," Khalid's pose hardened. He was becoming defensive. He'd never thought he'd be one to defend himself and especially show it.

"Because, she's the one that's broken now. Her life, everything she envisioned, is down the drain. She crying. And, even worse, he's only a small part of what she's crying over. She just keeps going on about you, and burning, and some fucked up dream. And, there's nothing we can do. Usagi is just sitting there, looking devastated over how broken her friend is but unable to do jackshit. And you're here. Irritable and self-centered as always," Mamoru seethed.

"She cheats on her boyfriend then fiancé for almost 2 years and I'm the selfish one?" Kunzite scoffs.

"Because you refuse to take any blame is this situation. She's got her consequence. She has to live with that now. And, you just get to keep going on like it's some sort of stupid fucking game."

"It's not like I ask for all this bullshit. I tried to keep away. She tried to keep away. But, I go fucking crazy. I hurt physically, dammit, Mamoru," he growled, angry at his admission. He'd never talked to any of his friends, even Mamoru, about how out of control he felt.

Mamoru paused, his posture relaxing, "Hurt?"

"I've got to touch her. I want to crawl out of my skin when it goes too long. At first, it could be a week or hell a month. When we were single, it never had to be that long. But, if one of us were a relationship, I could hold out until I thought I'd break. But when he proposed… it snapped something. Something… primal. She's supposed to be mine, Mamoru, and the thought of someone else being bound to her…" he trailed off and hit a wall.

"If you feel that way why don't you two just stop all the games," Mamoru asked, his tone insinuating that it were a simple and obvious truth.

"Because, I don't love her. She doesn't love me. And, regardless of how much I occasionally think I might want to, I don't love her. I can name every fucking thing that is wonderful about her as a person, things that I should go crazy for in any kind of woman. But, inside her they're almost more of an annoyance in her," he almost sneered. "I've never loved a woman period but with her it's almost… infuriating."

Mamoru stared at him for a minute, as though he were suddenly seeing his friend in a whole new light. He seemed momentarily at a loss, "Well, have you _told_ her?"

"That I don't love her? Yes. And she's told me. But, that doesn't change a damn thing. I still feel uncontrollably addicted. It's like, the universe thinks we belong together but someone else, somewhere else, thinks it's a catastrophic idea. And, the only thing we can do it is fuck to control the struggle."

His mind flashed to his dream, the terrifyingly powerful woman and the cold man. Her words bounced around his head, like they were trying to find a place. A piece to the puzzle. They knew where they fit.

As soon as he could feel the connection start to snap into place, Mamoru spoke and it was lost again. Khalid slumped, shaking his head in response to what his friend had said.


	6. Chapter 6

_**A/N:**_First and most importantly, I am sorry about the ridiculous wait. I had writers block and then a broken laptop and then life. This was a tricky chapter but I think I like it. I'm planning one more wrap up chapter. Depending on how that goes… It could be two. I was tempted to end it here but… I'll let you guys and my creativity decide that. Enjoy!

-x-

She didn't look at all like he was accustomed. He eyes were puffy and bloodshot, her nose was red and her hair was piled in a tangle mess on top of her head. She didn't speak when she opened the door and she didn't look surprised to see him. He'd given her a week. More for himself than her, he'd admit. He had to think, decide, and accept.

She pulled him inside roughly, closing the door and pushing herself against him. She smashed her lips against his and he found himself melting into the routine for second. Just one second before he remembered why he'd come. For once, it wasn't for this.

He placed his hands on her arms and pushed her back gently one step, "I think we should talk."

She tilted her head, a vague hint of curiosity in her eyes but being almost entirely consumed by desperation, "I don't need to talk."

She stepped past his already wavering grip and pressed herself back against him, trailing kisses along the neck of his shirt. When she looked back up at him, that familiar spark of lust back in her eyes, he lost his final resolve. With a grunt that was almost a sigh, he lifted her up and retraced the familiar steps to her room.

It was different. It was still long and needy. They still felt like they could get enough, couldn't get close enough. But it wasn't frantic. It wasn't harsh. He pampered her for the first time, concerning himself more with what she wanted, or needed, than with what he did. He was pretty sure she did the same, for reason beyond him.

He could justify his actions. She was broken, upset. She needed this. He had all but ruined her life. Maybe he actually had. Maybe Ryo was her life. As much as he'd thought about it, he wasn't sure how she felt or what she was thinking. She could blame him. She could blame herself. He couldn't blame her anymore though. Not just her at least.

He slid off of her, breathing heavily and trying to figure out how to broach the topic. Maybe this wasn't the ideal situation but they needed to talk. And, he knew if they put it off now, they'd continue to put it off by choosing sex instead. He turned his head left, away from her, to take a minute to think without having to see her. It was easier, he'd found, to think in the last week when she was fading into a memory.

However, his eyes immediately found a picture of her next to the nightstand. She was happy and laughing in ways he wasn't sure he'd ever really seen her. Of course she was happy with their friends, but this was different. Her eyes shone in a way he hadn't realized possible as she draped herself around the man's shoulders.

"I really did love him," she spoke suddenly. He turned to face her. Her face was still red, though this time from the energy they'd spent in bed rather than from crying. She looked at the picture of her and Ryo with haunting eyes and Khaled found that he couldn't look away, even though he felt desperate to.

"But," she sighed and reached over, flipping the picture face down. Her eyes returned to his, empty and broken, "All I want is you."

"Gods," he sighed in return, "what are we doing?"

She gave a small, emotionless laugh, "The same thing we've always been doing."

"And, what good that has done us," he scoffed.

"Then stop," she answered.

"You know I can't. For the same reason you can't. Even if I'd wanted to, I couldn't have stopped before you got married. Or, even after. I'm not going to lie to you; I felt no guilt or shame. I just need you. To own you. Possess you. You were mine, dammit." He gave another scoff, "How healthy that sounds."

She was silent for a while, studying him from above. He could see her mind churning as she traced the features of his face. Finally she spoke, so quietly she could barely hear him, "I just want to love you. Every part of my wants to love you."

She let out a choked laugh, "You know, I called it off. I mean, I'm sure he would have. He had an idea, he'd said. He just hoped and hoped. He knew before he reached to brush back my hair and I flinched away. It was confirmed when he saw my neck. _Khaled, isn't it?_ He'd asked. But he knew. And, it hurt so bad to see him so broken and to see him leave. And then… then it was like a weight lifted and I could only think about you again. Like, despite knowing I loved him, more than anything else in my life, I felt like I dodged a bullet."

He was quiet. He didn't know how to respond. He hadn't known that she had called it off. He didn't know that she felt that way, the same way he felt. He was desperate for her in any way he could get her. He reached forward and cupped her face gently, "I know."

She was quiet for a moment, the tears that had been building slowly finally starting to fall. Eventually she lay back against the bed, staring at the ceiling, "I had a dream about us that night, you know. The one we spent together. It was strange."

His dream popped into his head and he sat up quickly. It was there again, where it had been the entire week, hovering on the edge his understanding.

She watched him for any sort of response, but he just continued to stare down at her, "You killed me, you know."

The figures in his head took shape. The blue eyes and golden hair. The petite body. The look of defiance in her eyes. The emptiness in the gray eyes that he'd seen on so many occasions starting back at him in the mirror. And, he knew, she had seen the same thing, the same dream. He knew what she was at.

"You don't actually believe that do you," he asked. "That this all because of a curse?"

He stopped for a second, "That any of that is true anyways. What, some kind of past life?"

"Why not?" she tilted her head against her pillow, staring up at him. "You obviously had the same dream. It's bound to mean something."

"I think we're deflecting responsibility," he answered evenly. Though, if he were to be honest, it would be easy to believe the idea of past lives and curses. It would be easy to chalk up his addiction to something someone else did who knows how long ago.

She shrugged, "Maybe, but it's worth a shot."

He raised an eyebrow as she sat up quickly, one hand pointed to her ceiling and she said, as sing-songingly as she could manage, "By home Venus, as Daughter of Aphrodite, I demand that this curse is lifted and you let us love whoever we want."

She closed her eyes tightly and fell back against the bed as though waiting for something. He watched, a small smirk pulling at his mouth.

Finally, she popped up one eye open, a smile stretching her across her face, "Do you love me?"

"Not even a bit," he answered and she began to giggle uncontrollably, in a way he had never before witnessed from her. Not while they were alone at least.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers again. She twisted her arms around his and he moved on top of her once again.

His heart almost jumped.

-x-

_**More a/n:** I try hard not to make so many author notes in my stories but yanno. I wanted to update you guys on a few other stories I'm thinking up since this one is nearly done. I already have We've All Had Our Moments which is present day/Crystal Tokyo ones shots. I'm going to start one that'll be similarly named We Had Our Moments which will be connected one shots from the SilMil. They won't be in time order but they will all be canon to one another (Unlike We've All Had Our Moments)._

_I've been hella slowly working on a Shitennou only story. Friendship. Follows them through childhood up until they meet the Senshi._

_The very next one I'm going to start is Challenge Accepted which will take the Mako/Neph one shot from WAHOM and turn it into a full story._

_I've got 2 more Mina/Kunz I'd like to write. One Just Listen-esque HS AU. One Real World AU overdone vacation them. Dunno which will be first and it'll probably be simultaneous with CA._

_Lastly, I'm working on another Ami/Zoi story but it'll be AU real world as well._

_And eventually I'll get a Rei/Jade story in I'm sure_.


	7. Chapter 7

_Author's Note: So, in true Rachel fashion, I couldn't leave it there. If you like the unclear ending, stop at the last chapter. This is the clearer, fluffy ending. Or, just read until the line break. Because I kind of like the first part with some Mamo/Kunz time :p Enjoy! I hope you guys have liked this story, either ending._

"So, you're public now?" Mamoru finally asked the question that Khaled was sure had been burning in his mind for the last several weeks.

They were more public now. They weren't in a relationship, really. They hadn't changed all that much since before her engagement, but they were definitely showing more feelings, almost affection, while out with their friends.

"Something like that," he answered, his eyes not straying from his game.

"Are you serious this time?" he asked, pausing the game and picking up his beer.

Khaled laid down his controller, silently cursing his friend for taking away his easiest way of looking uninterested in the conversation. He shrugged, "Not exactly."

Mamoru scoffed at him, leveling a stony eyed gaze as he took a sip of his beer.

"She thinks it's because of a curse. From our past lives," Khaled hadn't been sure how to broach the subject with his closest friend since him and Minako had resumed their affair. This had given him the perfect chance.

Mamoru set down his beer and his game controller and turned almost his entire body towards his friend, the interest in his eyes piquing, "And why is that?"

"It was a dream we had," he answered, clasping his hands in front of him.

"You both had?" Mamoru raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, it was kind of weird," Khaled gave another shrug as if to brush it off. "I think we just don't want to take responsibility or admit that that's not why we aren't together."

"So, you really don't believe."

"Of course not."

"Hmm," Mamoru hummed, lifting his beer from the table and taking another drink.

Khaled looked at him, almost in alarm, "Do _you_?"

"Why not?" Mamoru answered, shrugging and trying to look as noncommittal as Khaled had earlier.

"You can't be serious. It's absolutely mad," he was entirely shocked that he was actually having this conversation with his friend. That his friend believed this… this fairy tale.

"I'm just saying, I don't think previous lives aren't possible," he answered. "Let me guess, ancient marble castles, fires, bodies, magic, sailor suits."

And, Khaled saw it. Something in his eye, a small knowing spark. Something that Khaled recognized from the depth of his soul, somewhere deeper than this life altogether.

His stomach turned, "How long?"

"Since shortly after I met Usagi."

"And, you knew about us, as well."

He shrugged, "Not immediately. It came slowly. It was all her at first."

Khaled sighed and leaned back, pressing the palms of his hands to his eyes, "Fucking impossible."

Mamoru shrugged again, even though his friend couldn't see it, "Maybe, but I believe it. Usagi knows. She saw the same things. And, if you and Minako both did too… What more proof do I need?"

Khaled gave a grunt and dropped his hands, "I know. But, fuck. Do the others know?"

"We don't think so. No one's mentioned anything. I suppose they could have chalked it up as a bad dream but we just don't _feel_ like it. We felt a shift, you know. The night before the wedding. That's when it happened, right?"

"Yeah," he mumbled, not at all happy with the turn his life had taken. "Why us? Why not them?"

"Maybe it's because you have the most to gain and nothing to lose. Can you imagine the affect it would have on them to see what had happened? Usagi and I… We don't have that kind of pain. It was different."

"You didn't kill her, you mean? You didn't destroy your home?" he spit the words, almost glaring at his friend.

"No," he answered, his voice edging on comforting.

"Who were you?" he finally asked, shifting the subject and almost feeling bad for his attack.

Mamoru shrugged again, "You'll remember eventually."

"I almost wish I wouldn't…"

"It's not all bad," he friend answered, giving his shoulder a few good claps. "I promise."

After several long minutes, Khaled finally asked the biggest question he had, "How do we fix it?"

"You'll have to figure that out. Maybe start with figuring out how you feel."

* * *

"I believe you."

He'd told her suddenly that night in the best way he knew how. After sex while they were laying together, almost cuddling, a still progressing development. They even slept in the same bed a good percent of the time.

She shot up in bed, her eyes wide, "Finally?"

"Mamoru knows," he answered. "And Usagi."

"I know," she answered easily. "I wanted you to get to that point yourself, talking to him I mean."

"Usagi didn't happen to tell you how to fix it, did she?" he asked.

Minako rolled her eyes and made air quotes, "_Only you have the answer._"

He snorted, "Of course."

She looked at him almost shyly, "Do you _want_ to fix it?"

He sat up next to her and leaned his forehead against hers, "God, Minako. I don't know if it's because it's fate or destiny. If it's only because we loved each other in past life or whether I even care. I want to be able to love, feel like I love you, more than anything else. I want to feel like doing actual relationship things. Being public is great but… I still want to feel like taking you out and getting flowers and dancing. Okay, maybe not dancing…"

She laughed then, a full bodied laugh and silenced him with a kiss, "Me too. I want to love you, too."

She pulled him to her again, kissing him hard and soft all at the same time. This time he was sure what he felt. Something clicked, his heart skipped a beat, emotions he didn't know he possessed flowed through him.

He loved her.

And when she pulled away and met his eyes, her smile told him she felt the same way.

Finally.


End file.
